The fate of Claude Puel at Southampton F.C. had been speculated upon for some time. After one year on the job, guiding the Saints to an eighth place finish, there were many who saw his sacking coming.
The axe fell today as the south coast club made the announcement with this official statement below:
Southampton Football Club can today confirm that it has terminated the contract of Claude Puel with immediate effect. Everyone at Southampton would like to express our thanks to Claude for his hard work and commitment this year. The highlight of the season was a memorable day at Wembley in the EFL Cup Final, a day our fans will always treasure.
We wish Claude well for the future. The search for a new management team is underway. We are confident that we will find the right fit in line with the long term vision of the club
The successor to Claude Puel will become the club’s fourth manager in just over over four years, conveying the excessive amount of turnover that we’ve seen at St. Mary’s in recent years. Puel’s predecessor was Ronald Koeman, and the boss before Koeman was Mauricio Pochettino, who left to lead Tottenham Hotspur.
Thomas Tuchel, the former Borussia Dortmund boss, is seemingly the favorite to fill the vacancy, according to various reports. The former Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri, who was sacked this season, less than a year removed from a league title, is also in the mix.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes to WGN CLTV and KOZN.
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